Device



Aug. 14, 1928.

C. S. DUTTON AUTOMATIC TIME PRINTING- DEVICE Filed April 4, 1927 j 5 Sheets-Sheet Aug. 14, 1928.

C. S. DUTTON AUTOMATIC TIME PRINTING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mdm Wm. M

ATTORNEY C. S. @W'TON AUTOMATIC TIME PRINTING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,326

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,326

1 c. s. DUTTON AUTOMATIC TIME PRINTING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Hi5. Ip

RAISED RIB dARD cARq/wRwAL +14 INVENTOR BY [Mow ATTORNEY C. S. DUTTON AUTOMATIC TIME PRINTING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY iPatented Aug. 14, 1928.

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Application filed April 4,

. cards.

An object of the invention is to provide in a device of the character described means whereby the continued presence of the card therein can neither interfere with the completion of the primary printing cycle with a repeated print-' 7 a movable platen 11, a clockwork mechanism respect thereto nor cause ing of the card.

Another object vide a device of the character described in which the printing mechanism .is automatically rendered inoperative during the changing of the time printing type.

.A further obJect of'the invention is to provide a device of the character described whereby a card operatively disposed there-. in during the changing-of the type willbe automatically stamped immediate y following such change and without requiring its removal or repositioning.

A still further object of the invention isto provide a device-of the character described in which the stamping o eration and setting of the type are eleetrica 1y effected.

Yet another object of the invention is'to provide, ina device of the character described a novel'switch by which a particularly efficient control of the operation of the device is effected. I

The invention possesses other'objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side the casing thereof broken away the mechanism. i

Figure 2 is a front view of the device, with a portion of the'casing broken away to show a switch formingpart of the mechanism.

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 in Figure l.

Figure 4 is a plan sectional view of the device taken substantially on theline 44 in Figure 1.

to disclose of the invention is to promallyopen view of the device, with 1927. Serial No, 180,695.

Figurefi is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the showing in Figure 1.

Figure fi is .a plan view of aportionof the mechanism shown in Figure 1. I

' Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 3.

. Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the various operative parts and the electric circuits of the mechanism.

As illustrated, the device essentially comprises a time-printing mechanism 9 having ing the movement of the platen following a displacement of the arm 13, such means being operatively included in. a pair of norelectric circuits 15 and'16 respectively. tilting character are provided in circuits 15 and 16 respectively, such' switches being arranged to be so controlled by the. clock mechanism 12 that switch 17 willbe closed when, and only'when, the-periodic type settings are to be made, at which time the switch 18 is arranged to be open, it being noted that when sw1tch 17 is open, switch 18 is ar- Mercury switches 17 and 18 of ranged to be closed. A second switch 19 is i also provided in'circuit 16, which switch is arranged to be closed upon the displacement of arm 13 byacard 14. In this manner,

with'a card operatively disposed in the device, the closure 'of circuit 16 to effect an operative movement of the platen is prevented during the shifting of the type in the printing mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the printing mechanism 9, it will be noted that such mechanism includes sets 21 and ,22 of type wheels, with the wheels of set 21 arranged to be set by hand and the wheels of set 22 varranged for setting by and upon the rotation of a shaft 23. The wheels 24 of set 21' are here shown provided with the appropriate type for printing the month, day and year of a record, while diflerent wheels 25, 26 and 27 of set 22 are arranged for the printing of the meridian, hour, and minute respectively. It will now be noted that the data to be printed is that of a row of aligned characters of the different wheels and that such characters are those which are at a given time disposed radially downwardly of the' type wheels. Any suitable means" providing the necessary operative connection between wheels 25, 26 and 27 and the shaft 23 are utilized, it being noted that such means must.

provide for difierent and appropriate rotative rates for the beforementioned wheels, and. it being further noted that such means are not shown in detail since they'are not the 7 subject of the present invention; Printing of a card 14, it will now be noted, is here shown arranged to be efiected by pressing the same upwardly against an ink ribbon 28 disposed adjacent the row of set type by meansof the platen 11.which is arranged to be projected radially against said. row by means to be more particularly described here.

after.

Since the settings of the type wheelsfare to be made'periodically, the shaft 23 does not turn steadily but is, rotated slightly at equally timed intervals in accordance with the requirements of its connections to the type wheels of set 22. Mounted on the shaft 23 rearwardly of the printing mechanism isa ratchet wheel 29 having teeth 31 arranged to be engaged by a pawl 32 provided at one end of a member 33. 'The member 33, it will be noted, is pivoted at its other end to the armature 34 of an electro-magnet 35,

such electromagnet being hereshown as having a pair of coils with portions of the armature 34 movably engaged in each. As here shown, the armature 34 is disposed generally above the coils and is normally held in raised'position by means of a compression spring 36.. It will now be noted that a vertically disposed. plate member 37 is provided f forwardly of and adjacent the wheel 29,

which member provides a mounting for cer-.

tain parts of the operative mechanism.

Mounted in the plate 37 is a spring'38 whicli P 32 pressed against the teeth of the wheel 29, while. a stop 39 is provided for limiting v the downward movement of the member 33.

bears'against member 33 to. keep'the It will now be clear that upon energizing of the electromagnet 35, the member 33 willto rotate the wheel 29 in accordance with its movement, and that" be pulled downwardly when the electromagnet is de -en ergized, the member ,33 will return over one or more pawl teeth to engage another'tooth for the next stroke of the member. To prevent the possibility of a backward rotation of the wheel 29 when the return of the pawl 32 occurs,

a second spring pressed pawl 40 is provided,

the circuit between a pole pair at on such pawlbeing pivoted to the plate member 37. i

As here shown, the electromagnet 35 is operatively included in the circuit 15 so that each time switch 17 is closed, it will operate toeflecta rotative movement of the wheel '29, Referring to. switch 17 and its companion switch 18, it will be noted that these switches comprise pairs of poles 41 disposed at opposite ends of a tube 42 providing a trough having therein a quantity of mercury 43 and arranged to be shifted between apair of positions whereby the mercury comlpletes one switch ata'time. As here shown, the tube 42 is carried by and extends transversely of an arm 44 pivoted at its bottom and arranged to be swung from one. side ofthe vertical to the other whereby the mercury will be shifted from one end of the tube to the other 7 i and so" close the appropriate switch.

The clockwork mechanism 12, it will now be noted, may be of any suitable type, and since its structure forms no part of the present invention, is not shown indetaihexcept for a shaft 45 which extends therefrom' to a point adjacent plate 37 and which is arranged to be driven at a constant rotative rate by the clock work mechanism. Mounted.

on'the shaft 45 adjacent the plate 37 is a notched .wheel 46, while pivoted to the plate 3'7 at one end and disposed generally horizontally above the wheel 46 is a bar member 47 having its free end attached. by means of a link 48 to an offset 49 provided at the upper end of the switch carrying arm 44. It

will now be noted that for one position of the bar 47, themercury will connect the.

polesof switch 18, while for a certain lower position of bar 47, the mercury tube'will be oppositely. tilted to connect the poles of switch 17, and means are accordingly provided for disposing the bar 47 to effect a closing of switch 17 v at the proper periods to normally engaged by the tip of a tooth of the wheel. spring 55 is provided on the bar for engagement with. the arm '54 of therlever 53 whereby the arm 54 will be normally held against a stop 55- and movement of the wheel tooth against the arm 52 may displace its end along the top surface of the member 51." It will now be noted -of the bar 4 that when the bar is in its up 1' and norwhich switch is included in circuit 16 tomal position, it is arranged to supported gether with switch 18 and a double pole rethereat by the bearing of arm 52 on the lay switch 68 which is arranged to effect a member 51 and that when the arm 52 is closure of a circuit 69 through the solenoid allowed to'lower to fully engage the bottom 64. In this manner, with switch 18 closed, 7 of a space between a pair of teeth ofwheel it will be clear that closure of switch 19 46, the switch 18 is opened and switch 17 is will complete the connection of circuit 16 closed. Accordingly, the member-51 is ter-' and so effect a' printing movement of the minated" at such a point that the lever arm platen. 52'will drop therefrom into the wheel notch It will now ,be noted that as long as the below it at the proper time to close the arm 13 is held in its backwardposition by switch 17 and so effect a rotative displacecard 14, the switch 19 will remain closed and ment of the shaft 23 through the operation the platen 11 would be raised and thereafter of the electromagnet 35, it being noted that held raised against the ribbon and type even the downward motion of the bar is thus arafterthe printin is completed whereby the ranged to be gravitationally affected. 'card would belhe id against removal and the.

, Means are rovided for effecting a return type/wheels would be held against shift- 7 to its raised osition at the ing by themechanism previously described. completion of the'down stro 'e of the mem- Means. are accordingly provided to prevent ber 33-whereby the switch 17 will be opened such. contingency and, as here shown, such and the parts will be disposed for the next means comprises. a provision for the disperiodic operation thereof. Pivoted to the placement of the arm 13 from an operative plate 37 below the bar 47 is a lever 56, such relation to the card at the completion of the lever being normally supported in a generalprinting stroke of the platen whereby the ly horizontal position by means of its pivot switch 19 may o en and the platen andarm 0 pin 57 adjacent one end andastop 58 adjacentbe restored tot e1r normal positions. The the other end. An upward extension 59 is arm 13,- it will now be noted, is disposed provided on the lever end adjacent the stop generally vertically and is pivotally secured 58, the upper end of such extension being to an arm 71 of a lever'62, which lever is di o ed to lie lo ely adjacent the bar 47' pivoted for movement in a vertical plane.

when the latter is in its lowered position. Extending radially from the movable sole- The opposite end of lever 56 beyond the pivotnoidcore 63 through aslot 7 3, provided in in 57 isdisposed forwardly of the memthestandard 66 is a projeot1on 74, which r 33, and such member'is provided with a pro ection isarranged toengage' m a socket projection'61 which is arranged to engage 75 provided in the otherarm 76 of the lever V the. last mentioned lever end as the stroke 62 whereb a pivotal connection is, in effect,

of member 33-is completed to thereby force pr vided tween the core and lever.. In

. the extension- 59 against the bar 47 .to lift hi manner,-it will now be clear that when th latt r bove its normal .upper position the core 63 is raised, the arm 13 will be vertiwhereby the spring 55 may function to recally lowered, and vice versa, so that the seat the bell crank lever arm 52 on the vertical disposltion of the arm is thus; conmember 51. trolled by the position of the core. 1

Referring now more particularlyto the It will be noted that the switch 19. comcard operated arm member 13 and platen 11, prises a standard 77 having provided at it will be noted "that the former is ivoted the top thereof a contact member 78, and at one end of a lever 62 having the ot er end a movable arm 79 carrying a contact 81 thereof pivotally engaged 'with a movable and arranged to be deflected to eifectthe core 63 of a solenoid 64. The platen 11 i engagement of the contacts 78 and 81.

'formed of a non-magnetic substance and is Preferably, and as here shown, the switch provided with adownwardly extending stem arm 79 is formed'as a leaf spring and bears 116 4 portion 65 disposed in the bore'of the soleconstantly against the extension 67 carried noid which thus provides a guide for the o'n'the ar1n13 whereby the latter is. resilplaten. The core 63 is normally disposed iently urged to malntam its forw P '1 generally below the solenoid in the non tion. Extending fromthe arm 13 is a sec- -magnetic standard 66 thereof and is 'ar 0nd extension 82, which extension is ar- 12 ranged to be raised when the solenoid is ranged to slidably engage the rear side of energized by asuitable current to strike the switch standard 77 whereby the forthe platen stem and so lift the platen and ward movement of the arm 13 maybe limcard against the ribbon and type for printited. As here shown, the switch members ing the card. It will now be noted that the 77 and 79 provide electrical conductors from 12 I arm 13 is arranged to be dis lac'ed back-. the switch contacts, are mounted in insu-.

wardly upon the thrusting o a card 14 lated relation. ona block 83, and are conthereagainst, and that when the arm' is so nected in the-circuit 16. y displaced, a projection 67 provided thereon Pivotally mounted at the upperend of is arranged to efiect a closure of switch 19, the arm 13 is a member 84, such member 0 level of the ribbon 28 and considerably below a the level of the top surface of the platen 11 when the latter is depressed. The member.

84, it will be noted, is arranged to be normally held in its normal relation to member 13 by reason of its engagement with a stop 87 provided above it on the arm 13 and a leaf spring 88 mounted on the arm and operative against the member to hold it against the stop. i

It will now be noted that when a card is inserted' in thetspace defined between the platen 11. and ribbon 28 to cause a backward rocking of the arm 13 to close the switch 19, the solenoid 64 will, if switch 18 is closed, bee'nergized to lift the core v63'against the platen stem 65 and so efi'ect a printing of -the card.- But just asthe card is printed,

the arm' 13 is arranged to. have been lowered to permit the movement of member 84 beneath the'card, whereby the arm 13 will Y move forwardly and the contact at switch I an . member 84 until the first card is removed. Preferably, and as .here shown, current 19 will be broken to permit the various operative members Controlled by circuits 16 and 69 to resume their normal positions. In this manner, a printin cycle is completed even though the card be leftin the device after itis printed. Usually the card is not removed immediately following its printing so thatthe return upward movement of the arm 13 will project its member 84 against the underside of the card, and such member, will, on account of its mounting, be deflected from its normal relation to the arm. In this manner, grippinglor-mutilation of the card after the printin thereof ,is avoided, and it may be remove at pleasure, it being noted that the disposition of the member 84 beneath the card prevents the projection of a second card against the face 86 of the for the various circuits is arranged to be derived from a common source such as the battery 89 b connecting the circuits 15 and- 16 in 'paralel' thereto and connectin the I circuit 69 as a shunt circuit of circuit 16 It will be noted that the use of the relay I switch 68 in circuit 16 to control the shunt circuit 69- permits the application of a greater current to the latter circuit than is necessary through the switch 19.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily un- I derstood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, togetherlwith the device which I now consider card, a displaceable member arranged in the path of insertion of the card, meansassociated with said displaceable member to cause the projectionofethe card against said type means upon the displacement of the displaceable member by a, card,' and means thereafter automatically operative for releasing the printed card and for returning said displaceable member to its original position.

2. In a device of the character described, type means against which a card is arranged to, be projected for printing the same, a platen normally spaced from said type means and operable to project said card against said type, imprinting means interposed'between said type and platen, displaceable means asociated with said card. projecting means and adapted to intercept said card, and upon the insertion of a card thereagamst. to cause the functioning of said platen to project said card against the type, and means automatically operable for returning said displaceable means and said pro ecting means to their normal inoperative positions. 4

3. In a device of the character described, relatively fixed type against which' a card is arranged to be projected for printing the to secure by Letters same, a platen normally spaced from'said type in opposed relation thereto and movable to project said card against the type, an arm member pivotally displaceable by said card upon the insertion thereof betweensaid type and platen electro-magnetic means operable actuated to effect an operation thereof during the engagement of said card with said arm, and means operative by said electromagnetic meansto'disengage said arm from said, card upon the printing thereof to thereby render said electro-magnetic means inoperative, v I

4. In a device of thecharacter described,

type against which a card is arranged to be projected for printing the same, a platen normally spaced from said type in opposed underlying relation thereto and projectible to move said card upwardly against the type, an arm member pivotally displaceable by the forward edge of said card upon the I .having a platen normally spaced from the set type d posite positions whereby insertion thereof between said type and platen and against said arm, a solenoid, a core slidably engaged in said solenoid and arranged when saidhsolenoid is energized to move said core to project said platen against said type, a lever pivotally related to said core and arm whereby the movement of said core caused by the energizing of said sole noid will effect a lowering of said arm for releasing the same from engagement with said card edge to permitjts return to its normal position after said card has-been printed, an energizing circuit for said solenoid, and means controlledbythe displacement of said arm to effect a closure of said circuit during such displacement.

5. In a device of the character described type arranged to be periodically set by a cloclr mechanism, a platen normally spaced from the set type in opposedrelation thereto and movable to project said card against said set type, electro-magnetic means operative by said clock mechanism to elfect a setting of said type, electro-magnetic means automatically operative by and upon the operative insertion of a time card be tween said type and platen to eii'ect a movement of said card against saidset type, and switch means automatically operative to prevent a printing operation by said last means during the setting of said type by" said first means.

6. In combination with a device of the character described having type arranged to be periodically set by a clock mechanism,

and movable to project an inserted car against said set type, electromagnetic means operative by said clock mechanism to efiect a setting of said type, electro-magnetic means automatically operative by and upon the operative insertion of the 'card between sa d type and platen to effect amovement of sa d card against said set type; electric circuits including the respective electro-magnetio operative by said that the printing of a card is prevented during the setting of said type and is permitted at all other times, said switch means comprising a member providing a trough for the reception-of aliquid conductor'and arranged to be differently positioned whereby the liquid maybedisposed in difi'erent ends of the trough, and pairs of poles at said difi'erent ends of said trough each arranged in a different one of said circuits whereby said liquid may electrically connect but one pair of said poles at the different positions of said member.

7. In combination with a device of the character described having typearranged to be periodically set by a clock mechanism, a platen normally spaced from the set type and movable to project an inserted car against said set type, electro-magnetic means operative by said clock mechanism to efiect a setting of said type, electro-magnetic means automatically operative by and upon the operative insertion of the card between said type and platen to efiect a movement of said card against said s'et'type, electric circuits including the respective eleotro-magnetic means, and a tiltable switch operative by said clock mechanism to so control said circuits that the printing of a card is prevented during the setting of said type and i permitted at all other times, said switch comprising a trough adapted for the reception of a liquid conductor and arranged to be swung to opsume positions at opposite ends of the trough, and pairs of poles mounted in opposed ends of said trough each arrangedin a different one of said circuits whereby said liquid may electrically connect'but one pair of said poles at a time.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature. 1 E LES S. BUTTON.

tiltable member embodying a said liquid will as- 

